Among the hundreds of TV shows airing this fall, don’t miss these four

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Obsession

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Written by

Obsession

There are literally hundreds of TV shows debuting or returning between now and the end of the year. You can’t—and shouldn’t—watch all of them. No sane person would even try.

But most of us can manage a few (especially when they’re bingeable). That’s why we sorted through all the upcoming fall shows and picked just four that we feel are worth your limited time and energy. From the porn industry to serial killer psychology, these are the TV shows you need to know about over the next few months (with a few others to keep an eye on):

The Deuce

The Wire creator David Simon is back on HBO with another sprawling, sociopolitical drama. Like The Wire, The Deuce is a captivating portrait of an American city, exploring in industrious detail the rise of the porn industry in 1970s Manhattan.

Come for the stylish period costumes and setting, stay for Simon’s distinctive interweaving plot lines and diverse cast of complicated characters.

Network: HBO

Premiere: Sunday, Sept. 10

Must watch if you are one of those people who constantly tell your friends to watch The Wire; liked HBO’s Vinyl for the 1970s New York setting but not much else; are intrigued by the idea of dual, mustachioed James Francos.

Skip if you need your shows to jump immediately into the action (rather than spend the first few episodes building the world and introducing its characters, as The Deuce does).

Mr. Robot

Mr. Robot hit a sophomore slump last year, but it created more than enough goodwill in its fantastic debut season to deserve a chance at redemption. One part techno thriller, two parts mystery, the hacker drama has never been more timely as large corporations and political institutions continue to be attacked by computer criminals.

Network: USA

Premiere: Wednesday, Oct. 11

Must watch if you want to see the most realistic portrayal of computer hacking on TV; are immersed in Reddit fan theory culture; prefer when the characters’ heads are placed in the bottom corner of the frame.

Skip if you need things spelled out for you or dislike the feeling of confusion.

Mindhunter

David Fincher, one of the best film directors alive, is headed back to television with Mindhunter, his first foray on the small screen since he directed the pilot of House of Cards. Mindhunter is the Seven, Zodiac, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo director at his best—telling stories about serial killers.

Based on the book of the same name by former FBI criminal profiler John E. Douglas, Mindhunter follows Holden Ford (a special agent in the bureau’s behaviorial science division, based on Douglas and played by Hamilton performer Jonathan Groff) as he interviews infamous killers like Edmund Kemper.

Network: Netflix

Premiere: Friday, Oct. 13

Must watch if you wish Zodiac was a 10-episode TV series you could binge; are fascinated, if terrified, by the psychology of serial killers; thought King George was the best part of Hamilton.

Skip if you are prone to nightmares.

Stranger Things

The surprise hit of last summer, Stranger Things is not sneaking up on anyone this time. The second season of Netflix’s 1980s-inspired sci-fi adventure is perhaps the fall’s biggest TV event. While it may not be as philosophically deep as The Deuce or as purely chilling as Mindhunter, Stranger Things might be the most entertaining show you watch (and more than likely binge) this fall.

It premieres just a few days before Halloween, so don’t be surprised if you see many Elevens and Demogorgons patrolling your street.

Network: Netflix

Premiere: Friday, Oct. 27

Must watch if you yearn to feel like a kid again; are obsessed with all things Halloween; want creepy 1980s synth tracks to be the background music of your fall.